EXPANDABLE ROOF-TOP CARRIER
A roof-top carrier includes a support base adapted to coupled with a roof of a vehicle and an expandable lid including an upper shell, and an expander coupled between the rim and the upper shell. A storage volume may be defined between the expandable lid and the support base and the expander may be configured to provide means for allowing movement of the upper shell relative to the rim between a collapsed-profile position where the storage volume has a first size and an expanded-use position where the storage volume has a larger second size.
The present disclosure relates to storage containers for vehicles, and particularly to roof-top carriers. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to expandable roof-top carriers.
SUMMARYA roof-top carrier in accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure includes a support base adapted to couple with a roof of a vehicle and an expandable lid including an upper shell, a rim, and an expander coupled between the rim and the upper shell. A storage volume may be defined between the expandable lid and the support base and the expander may be configured to provide means for allowing movement of the upper shell relative to the rim between a collapsed-profile position where the storage volume has a first size and an expanded-use position where the storage volume has a larger second size.
In illustrative embodiments, the expander may include a plurality of pleated sections coupled together to define seams.
In illustrative embodiments, the pleated sections may be folded toward one another about the seams in the collapsed-profile position and folded away from one another about the seams in the expanded-use position.
In illustrative embodiments, the expander may be formed of silicone, a rubber material, a thermoplastic elastomer, a fabric material, or combinations thereof
In illustrative embodiments, the expandable lid may be configured to pivot relative to the support base between an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a closed position to block access to the storage volume.
In illustrative embodiments, the roof-top carrier may further include a latch assembly coupled to the support base and configured to block pivoting movement of the expandable lid relative to the support base from the closed position to the open position.
In illustrative embodiments, the expander may include a plurality of flexible panels coupled together by a plurality of stiffening ribs.
In illustrative embodiments, the stiffening ribs may be spaced apart from one another in the expanded-use position and the flexible panels may be configured to bend to allow the stiffening ribs to move toward one another in the collapsed-profile position.
In illustrative embodiments, the stiffening ribs may be positioned in substantially the same plane in the collapsed-profile position.
In illustrative embodiments, the expander may be formed from silicone, a rubber material, a thermoplastic elastomer, a fabric material, or combinations thereof
In illustrative embodiments, the stiffening ribs may be thicker than the flexible panels.
In illustrative embodiments, the flexible panels may be formed from a first material and the stiffening ribs are formed from a less flexible second material.
In illustrative embodiments, the expandable lid may be configured to pivot relative to the support base between an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a closed position to block access to the storage volume.
In illustrative embodiments, the roof-top carrier may further include a latch assembly coupled to the support base, wherein the latch assembly may be configured to block pivoting movement of the expandable lid relative to the support base from the closed position to the open position.
In illustrative embodiments, the upper shell may be positioned to lie substantially below a plane defined by the rim in the collapsed-profile position and wherein the upper shell is spaced apart from the rim in the expanded-use position.
Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
Roof-top carrier 10 includes a support base 14 and an expandable lid 12 that is coupled to support base 14 and movable between an expanded-use position, as suggested in
An exemplary roof-top carrier 10 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in
The expandable lid 12 includes an upper shell 22, a rim 26, and an expander 24 coupled between the upper shell 22 and the rim 26, as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the expander 24 comprises a bellows and includes a plurality of the pleated sections 21, 23 coupled together to define seams 25 where pleated sections 21, 23 fold relative to one another, as shown in
In the expanded-use position, the pleated sections 21, 23 are folded away from one another to allow the upper shell 22 to extend away from the rim 26 and increase the storage volume within the roof-top carrier 10, as suggested in
The lower shell 32 of the support base 14 is substantially rigid and may include a basin 33 and a lip 31 coupled to an upper perimeter edge of the basin 33, as shown in
In one illustrative embodiment, the expandable lid 12 may be configured to laterally pivot relative to the support base 14 to open the roof-top carrier 10 and allow access to the storage volume therein, as shown in
In another illustrative embodiment, the expandable lid 12 may be configured to pivot forward relative to the support base 14 to open the roof-top carrier 10 and allow access to the storage volume therein, as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, a linkage 40 may be coupled between the expandable lid 12 and the support base 14 to assist a user with opening the roof-top carrier 10, as shown in
The upper shell 22 of the expandable lid 12 may have a smaller footprint than the rim 26 as suggested in
Another roof-top carrier 210 in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in
The expandable lid 212 includes an upper shell 222, a rim 226, and an expander 224 coupled between the upper shell 222 and the rim 226, as shown in
In the illustrative embodiment, the expander 224 comprises a pop-up membrane that includes a plurality of flexible panels 223 coupled together by a plurality of stiffening ribs 221, as shown in
The ribs 221 may generally be stiffer or more rigid than the flexible panels 223. For example, the ribs 221 and the flexible panels 223 may be formed from the same material and the ribs 221 may be thicker than the flexible panels 223. In another example, the flexible panels 223 may be formed from a first material and the ribs 221 may be formed from a less flexible second material. In some embodiments, the expander 224 may be formed from silicone. However, other materials are possible, such as rubber materials, thermoplastic elastomers, fabric materials, or other flexible materials, or combinations thereof, for example.
The more rigid ribs 221 maintain the positioning of the panels 223 relative to one another at the selection of the user. In the expanded-use position, the ribs 221 are spaced apart from one another. In the collapsed-profile position, the ribs 221 are in substantially the same plane. Similar to the first embodiment, other intermediate positions are also possible depending on storage needs. More particularly, one or more of the rib 221/panel 223 combinations may be expanded to vary a size and storage capacity of the roof-top carrier 210.
The lower shell 232 of the support base 214 is substantially rigid and is similar in construction to the support base 14 of the first embodiment of
In illustrative embodiments, the upper shell 222 of the expandable lid 212 may have a smaller footprint than the rim 226, as suggested in
Regardless of the embodiment, the roof-top carriers 10, 210 discloses herein are designed to be expandable, such that a user only expands the roof-top carrier 10, 210 enough to hold the necessary items, thereby minimizing a size of the roof-top carrier 10, 210 and the overall aerodynamic drag caused by the roof-top carrier 10, 210. The overall shape of the roof-top carrier 10, 210 is also designed to reduce the amount of aerodynamic drag caused by the roof-top carrier 10, 210.
Any of the embodiments described herein may be modified to include any of the structures or methodologies disclosed in connection with other embodiments.
Further, although directional terminology, such as front, back, top, bottom, upper, lower, etc. may be used throughout the present specification, it should be understood that such terms are not limiting and are only utilized herein to convey the orientation of different elements with respect to one another.
Claims
1. A roof-top carrier for use with a vehicle, the roof-top carrier comprising
- a support base adapted to couple with a roof of the vehicle, and
- an expandable lid including an upper shell, a rim, and an expander coupled between the rim and the upper shell,
- wherein a storage volume is defined between the expandable lid and the support base and the expander is configured to provide means for allowing movement of the upper shell relative to the rim between a collapsed-profile position where the storage volume has a first size and an expanded-use position where the storage volume has a larger second size.
2. The roof-top carrier of claim 1, wherein the expander includes a plurality of pleated sections coupled together to define seams.
3. The roof-top carrier of claim 2, wherein the pleated sections are folded toward one another about the seams in the collapsed-profile position and folded away from one another about the seams in the expanded-use position.
4. The roof-top carrier of claim 3, wherein the expander is formed from silicone, a rubber material, a thermoplastic elastomer, a fabric material, or combinations thereof.
5. The roof-top carrier of claim 3, wherein the expandable lid is configured to pivot relative to the support base between an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a closed position to block access to the storage volume.
6. The roof-top carrier of claim 5, further comprising a latch assembly coupled to the support base and configured to block pivoting movement of the expandable lid relative to the support base from the closed position to the open position.
7. The roof-top carrier of claim 1, wherein the expander includes a plurality of flexible panels coupled together by a plurality of stiffening ribs.
8. The roof-top carrier of claim 7, wherein the stiffening ribs are spaced apart from one another in the expanded-use position and wherein the flexible panels are configured to bend to allow the stiffening ribs to move toward one another in the collapsed-profile position.
9. The roof-top carrier of claim 8, wherein the stiffening ribs are positioned in substantially the same plane in the collapsed-profile position.
10. The roof-top carrier of claim 8, wherein the expander is formed from silicone, a rubber material, a thermoplastic elastomer, a fabric material, or combinations thereof.
11. The roof-top carrier of claim 10, wherein the stiffening ribs are thicker than the flexible panels.
12. The roof-top carrier of claim 8, wherein the flexible panels are formed from a first material and the stiffening ribs are formed from a less flexible second material.
13. The roof-top carrier of claim 8, wherein the expandable lid is configured to pivot relative to the support base between an open position to allow access to the storage volume and a closed position to block access to the storage volume.
14. The roof-top carrier of claim 13, further comprising a latch assembly coupled to the support base and configured to block pivoting movement of the expandable lid relative to the support base from the closed position to the open position.
15. The roof-top carrier of claim 1, wherein the upper shell is positioned to lie substantially below a plane defined by the rim in the collapsed-profile position and wherein the upper shell is spaced apart from the rim in the expanded-use position.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 17, 2015
Publication Date: Dec 22, 2016
Inventor: Jack Fugett (Mokena, IL)
Application Number: 14/741,551